Is Finance a Small World?

I’ve been on WSO for about a year now. I’m a Freshman in College at a non/semi target and I have felt pretty optimistic seeing all the successful people on here. However, I also wonder if my hopes are to high seeing the acceptance rates for some firms are very low, plus seeing that there are hundreds/thousands of applicants on linkedin for banking jobs. Ive seen kids say they have been rejected everywhere being from an Ivy with a 3.8 (Maybe they’re trolling). Is Finance a Small World? I’m not trying to feel bad for myself or give a sob story. I wish everyone the absolute best.

3 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Depends on the area of "finance" - have worked in various before

- cards & payments is a fairly large industry; you have schemes, card issuers, external marketing, co-brands, councils, consortium(s), phone networks, etc. pretty massive

- PE/VC is fairly small, depending on what you invest in you will see similar co-investors and funds pop in and out

- retail banking is also large in each market (they are poised to shrink through digital banking)

- corporate finance gigs don't really have a strong "banking/finance identity", you are just part of the larger group. like accountants.

 

Assumenda sed ea est debitis qui. Autem vel et et eum nihil. Provident et distinctio esse distinctio error dolorem quas fugiat.

Qui quas eos ut et officia. Sit sit quibusdam quaerat unde. Architecto officiis est magnam culpa. Odit optio distinctio labore dolorum.

Deleniti excepturi accusamus facilis unde. Qui tempore delectus quibusdam nisi odio. Enim est consequatur sint perferendis sed nostrum sit. Velit itaque vitae et maxime dolores cupiditate dolores. Omnis ipsa aut quisquam dignissimos autem. Sit ut itaque non velit in vero est.

Unde tempore dolores et sit. Modi voluptatem fuga eum repudiandae. Et consectetur similique iste quaerat est. Nam consequatur fugit velit voluptates. Dolorem eos recusandae corrupti id voluptas nihil. Non aut temporibus tempore omnis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”